Meet a Scientologist—Colleen May’s Surprising Discovery

COLORADO • FEB 10, 2012

Through Scientology, what was once a liability to Colleen May has proved to be one of her greatest assets.

Colleen May has never been satisfied with a pat answer. She remembers trying the patience of teachers and other grown-ups who demanded she take their word for things. She always insisted on knowing more.

So it came as a surprise to her, when introduced to Scientology by her fiancé Shawn in 2003, to discover that no one objected to her “attitude.”

“Before Scientology, I’d been on a lifelong search to find something that would make sense to me,” says May. “As a child, I was known as the one who would always ask ‘Why?’ I would never accept things blindly. In my first Scientology course, I was surprised that I didn’t have to ‘believe’a thing. I was encouraged to put what I learned to the test in life—to use it and see if it works. And I found it did.”

She describes her first Scientology service, the Personal Values and Integrity course, as a turning point for her.

“Over the years I had done things I wasn’t proud of, and they just kept piling up. I actually felt pretty down on myself. This course helped me come to terms with what I’d done and start fresh. By the end, I felt so much better. The relief was amazing.”

The Mays married in 2004. They established a computer consulting company and raised two daughters in Denver, Colorado.

For six years, May volunteered as the lead Scientology Volunteer Minister of the Church of Scientology of Colorado. Most weekends, she and her team set up a bright yellow Volunteer Minister tent in parks around the city or downtown, making one-on-one help available to the community. They also provided disaster relief when tornados hit the area.

On moving to Clearwater, Florida, last year, home of the spiritual headquarters of the religion, May carried on working in the family company and volunteering. She recently started a business of her own, baking and selling gourmet cookies and other delectables.

“I decided to make a profession of what I’ve always loved to do,” she says.

Through Scientology, what was once a liability to May has proved to be one of her greatest assets.

“I’m very practical and I’ve always been the one to ask—‘does it work or not?’ Scientology helped me sharpen my ability to observe so I can be professional and successful in anything I do.”

The popular “Meet a Scientologist” profiles on the Church of Scientology International Video Channel at Scientology.org now total more than 200 broadcast-quality documentary videos featuring Scientologists from diverse locations and walks of life. The personal stories are told by Scientologists who are educators, teenagers, skydivers, a golf instructor, a hip-hop dancer, IT manager, stunt pilot, mothers, fathers, dentists, photographers, actors, musicians, fashion designers, engineers, students, business owners and more.

A digital pioneer and leader in the online religious community, in April 2008 the Church of Scientology became the first major religion to launch its own official YouTube Video Channel, with videos now viewed more than 6 millions times.